


Asynchronous

by Piinutbutter



Category: Hylics (Video Game)
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:14:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25834828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Piinutbutter/pseuds/Piinutbutter
Summary: Dedusmuln demonstrates the benefits of primordial form coffee.
Relationships: Dedusmuln & Pongorma (Hylics)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 39





	Asynchronous

The cafe always had its fair share of visitors from out of town. New Muldul was bustling in the wake of the second accretion. Word had spread that the surrounding islands were prime spots for worm hunting, and no good hunter worth their salt would venture off without a bracing of caffeine. Those who did, quickly found themselves sulking back to the cafe, drowsy and dizzy with the lingering dose of spores they’d received.

A pair of such unfortunate hunters were huddled at the corner of the bar, nursing their coffees with dour looks. The cafe owner was heading over to them, an offer to top their drinks up on the tips of his three tongues, when a new customer dropped through the ceiling.

“Welcome - ah!” The cafe owner scurried to greet the new arrival with an enthusiasm his previous customers hadn’t received. “I do believe we’ve met before, and in quite favorable circumstances. I must thank you again for rescuing me from that foul traitor’s dungeon.”

“Oh, it was nothing.” The customer waved off his thanks, their curled green tentacles twitching in what might have been bashfulness. They were an odd one; dressed in garb suiting a knight, but with the slight build of a scholar. They produced something from the pouch at their waist, settling it on the counter in front of the owner.

The owner picked the package up and held it aloft between six fingers. “This is...?” he muttered, hesitant excitement lacing his voice. The package smelled of a familiar, warm bitterness.

“An ancient variety of primordial form coffee,” the customer confirmed. “Lately, I have been researching the techniques our predecessors used to make food and drink. It seems that, once, coffee came in a form called ‘beans.’ You could then crush these beans to form the coffee dirt we know today.”

“Fascinating,” the owner said. He opened the package and examined the strange pellets inside with something akin to awe. “And you are giving this to me?”

“Well, I...” the customer scratched behind their head, rustling the strange golden growths budding from beneath their tentacles. “I was hoping you could make good use of them. Better than I could, certainly. But if it’s not too presumptuous, I’d like to request you save at least two of the resulting drinks for the next time I visit.”

The owner whisked the bag of beans away beneath his cloak. “Is that all? My friend, you are a blessing from the moon itself! Give me a few days, and I will have the finest new coffee in the land ready for you. Piping hot, I guarantee it!”

The owner was a man of his word. The next week, the strange scholar dropped in, and the owner sent them away with two fresh cups of the cafe’s newest premium blend.

* * *

Pongorma was a graceful, composed knight who let nothing disturb him. He repeated this mantra to himself as he resisted the urge to stomp loudly down the hall and slam every door in sight.

He appreciated his new station, he truly did. As the trusted captain of Blerol’s guard, Pongorma was able to command his own small company of knights keeping peace within New Muldul and the surrounding lands. This was a precious opportunity, and Pongorma was grateful to be here.

There were just two problems.

Firstly: Pongorma had never been a leader among the Dread Knights. He’d excelled at following orders and making decisions within the parameters of a mission that had already been laid out for him, but having numerous other warriors under his command was a wholly novel experience.

Secondly: New Muldul’s finest warriors were a hell of a lot worse at their jobs than his Dread Knights had been.

It wasn’t their fault, Pongorma reminded himself. The noble structure of New Muldul had emerged post-accretion like fresh clay from the afterlife. For many of the guards, this was their first real post.

But, celestial beings above, the unprofessionalism of them all! Pongorma had been on duty for hardly an hour and he’d already had to break up a near-brawl between one of his men and Blerol’s standoffish treasure room guard. That kind of childish combativeness would never have been tolerated under-

“Morning, Sir Knight.”

Pongorma’s aggressive step - certainly not a stomp! - stuttered. He turned, and was greeted with a sight that immediately soothed his irritation.

Dedusmuln lounged on one of the visitors’ cushions. Once they had Pongorma’s attention, they plucked a chipped white mug from the floor beside them and offered it out to him.

“You look like you could use this.”

A dark, rich-smelling coffee stewed inside the cup. Pongorma accepted the offering. After glancing down the hallway to check that no one was around to see him slacking off for a moment, he settled himself on the cushion beside his companion.

“My savior,” Pongorma grumbled, fondness clear in his gruff voice.

Dedusmuln patted his shoulder. “I know you’ve been working hard to get everything working smoothly. You were like me, weren’t you? Used to being on your own.”

Pongorma took a sip. “Mm. Nice. But, yeah. It’s been a change of pace, that’s for sure.”

Dedusmuln examined his face, cocking their head. Pongorma was sure his exhaustion was obvious. Dedusmuln’s tentacles stiffened in contemplation. “Do you regret your choice to rejoin the world?”

Pongorma laughed hard enough to slosh a bit of the coffee on his hand. “Do I regret it? Dedusmuln, if you guys had never dragged me out of my hole, I would’ve been rotting on my couch until Gibby came back and turned my brains to mush. Instead, I’m here. I have a life. I have the three of you. It may be a lot of work, but...”

Pongorma leaned over and pressed his forehead against the broad surface of Dedusmuln’s tentacles. They twitched happily at the contact.

“It’s worth it.”

**Author's Note:**

> Everyone eats microwave burritos in Hylics. You can't tell me the coffee shop doesn't just use crappy instant coffee.


End file.
